Tesla driver allegedly asleep at wheel stopped in Langley, BCHP says

BC Highway Patrol is again warning that sleeping while driving is illegal after officers allegedly found another Tesla driver asleep at the wheel. Police say such incidents divert resources from other calls.

At 7:45 a.m. on Aug. 27, an officer responding to a priority call passed a Tesla on Highway 1 near 248th Street in Langley. The male driver appeared to be asleep, with his eyes closed and both hands off the steering wheel, police say. The officer stopped despite being en route to the priority call.

Sgt. Michael McLaughlin said the officer’s observations and body-worn-camera footage appeared to show the driver was asleep, although the driver said otherwise. McLaughlin said the stop took a valuable police resource away from another call.

The driver received a $368 fine for driving without due care and attention and an $81 fine for failing to produce a driver’s licence. McLaughlin said police cannot ignore this degree of inattention because of the potential for serious injury or death, and warned that sleeping behind the wheel leads to both a traffic stop and financial consequences.